310 METEOROLOGICAL REPORT, 1870, 



the 3rd and 8th. Thunder was heard, but Lightning was not 

 seen, at Cresswell on the 4th. Hail fell at Byrness on the 31st ; 

 at Wallington on the 19th ; at Acklam, near Middlesbro', on tho 

 20th and 21st. Snow or Sleet fell at Byrness on the 11th, 12th, 

 and 31st ; at Otterburn on the 13th ; at Wallington on the 4th, 

 11th, 12th, 13th, and 25th ; at Dyke Head, near Elsdon, on the 

 11th and 12th ; at Bothbury on the 12th ; at Cresswell on the 

 20th ; at Seaham on the 17th and 19th ; at Greta Bridge on the 

 11th, 15th, 20th, and 23rd; at Acklarn, near Middlesbro', on 

 the 11th ; at Gainford on the 12th. 



February. — 



All the months in the year 



Curse a fair Februeer. 



— Old Proverb. 



Greenwich. — The beginning of February was mild. The aver- 

 age excess of temperature from the 1st to the 8th was 4° daily. 

 On the 9th a complete change took place, and for five or six 

 days the cold was excessively severe. This period of low tem- 

 perature prevailed until the 25th, during which period the aver- 

 age deficiency of daily temperature was as much as 7J°. Six 

 warm days followed with an average excess of daily temperature 

 to the amount of 8J°. 



During February scarcely any movements in the barometer 

 worthy of note occurred. The mean daily readings were slightly 

 below the average from the 2nd to the 9th, above from the 10th 

 to the 17th, and again below from the 18th to the 28th, with the 

 exception of the 20th. The absolute range of reading during the 

 month was 1*00 inch. 



The mean temperature of the month was 36'2°, being 2-3° 

 lower than the average of 99 years, and lower than the corres- 

 ponding temperatures in any year since 1864, when 36'0° was 

 recorded. The fall of rain was 1"1 inches below the average. 



Wallington. — The weather was very changeable, and more 

 severe and dull than in January. Snow or rain fell on twenty- 

 four days. Frost was registered on twenty-two nights. The 

 lowest temperature recorded was 17° on the 10th. 



